Time Makes You Bolder
by ElaineThePain
Summary: Kids, there's one thing about fate that you really need to know about. It's timing, timing is essential. Sometimes it's missing a bus and then running into an old friend as you wait on the next one. But, for your Aunt Robin and Uncle Barney, timing meant everything.


Kids, there's one thing about fate that you really need to know about. It's timing, timing is essential. Sometimes it's missing a bus and then running into an old friend as you wait on the next one, or sometimes it's being late for work and finding out that your boss did a lecture to your colleagues and then saved a private one for you in your office, where he has no right to yell at you in! (That's never happened to me, kids.) But, for your Aunt Robin and Uncle Barney, timing meant everything.

"It's not working, Barney. It's over." She didn't even put in the effort to even pretend to care. Not that Barney cared, either. He expected to be more upset over Quinn leaving him, but even Boyfriend-Material-I-Have-Feelings Barney couldn't make himself tear up over the bitchy blonde leaving his apartment for the last time. It was actually a relief.  
He leaned against the counter, draining the last of his glass of scotch. It was quiet without Quinn satisfying him with constant sex, blabbering on about the drunk Asian guys that came to his work. He gave up pretending to listen to her 2 weeks ago.  
He stopped thinking about her as soon as a familiar name flashed on his phone. 'Incoming Call from Robin Scherbatsky'. He set down the glass and picked up the phone, sliding the answer button and putting the phone to his ear. "Hey, Robin." He said, putting on his cheery voice.  
"Hey, are you busy?" She replied. He thought about his plans for tonight which consisted of getting wasted and then going onto the Drunk Train to hook up with random chicks that wouldn't care what he looked like. "No, I'm free. What did you have planned?"

Barney slid into the familiar MacLauren's bar booth with his scotch and red wine for Robin as he waited on her to arrive. He looked around, seeing nothing but happy couples surrounding him everywhere. He checked his watch, about to get up and leave when he saw Robin walk through the door, looking as stunning as ever. He smiled at her and passed her the wine. "Me and Quinn broke up tonight." He said casually, taking a sip of his scotch. Robin frowned, reaching across the table to take his hand, "I'm so sorry. Are you okay?" She asked, smiling on the inside. The truth was, she hadn't moved on from Barney. When she thought that she was pregnant with Barney's child, she thought that that would be the way they would get together, have their happy every after. But of course, as Ted would say, the universe had other plans.  
"Yeah, I'm fine. If I'm being honest, I'm kind of relieved. She dragged me down, you know? She tried to change me too much and I stopped being legendary and became…Normal." He shrugged, squeezing her hand. He looked down at their hands, "Does this mean we can be together now?" He heard himself say without even realizing it. Robin froze, biting her lip. "Barney, I –" Barney shook his head, interrupting her as he became more confident and looked her in the eyes. "No, don't you see? This is it, there's no-one holding us back now. We can have what we wanted now, what we talked about on that cruise, but we were too afraid because of Nora and Kevin. They're not here now. It's us, you and me. It's you and me, isn't it?"  
Robin listened to everything he said, tears forming in her eyes as she looked anywhere but his face. "Quinn changed you. She made you figure out that you want to settle down and have a family with someone, and that person can't be me. Barney, I-I can't have kids." His smile faltered, "When you get older you can change your mind, we don't have to have a family right this very second-" It was Robin's turn to cut him off, "No, Barney, I _can't _have kids. Literally. That's what broke me and Kevin up. He wanted to adopt or something, but…I don't want to do that. I don't want kids that I know aren't mine there, it will only be a constant reminder that I couldn't have what any other mother can have," tears began falling down her face as she lost control, "And I'm so tired of everyone leaving me. I thought Kevin was the one, I thought he would work around us not having kids, but…He couldn't. And I can tell by your face that you know you made the wrong choice of walking into this bar tonight, to see a mess like me. That's exactly it, Barney, I'm a mess, why do you even want me?" Barney was silent for a few seconds, which felt like minutes, as he processed all that Robin just said about not being able to have children. It hurt a little to know he'd never have a proper family with her, but it didn't matter. "I guess it's because you're almost as messed up as I am." He replied, taking them back to that night on the cruise. He leaned across the table so he was mere centimetres away from her face, looking her straight in the eyes, "I love you, Robin Scherbatsky. I love you more than I've ever loved anyone on this planet." Robin looked back at him, a smile spreading across her face despite her tears as she leaned in to kiss him passionately.

"Morning, baby." Barney smiled as he kissed Robin's cheek as she finished making the sandwiches. She grinned, turning around to kiss him on the lips. "You're late for work," She chuckled as he kissed her neck.  
"That's disgusting!" A little voice came from the hallway as a six year old girl walked into the kitchen. Barney laughed and picked up the little girl, spinning her around. "I'll see you both later." He said as he checked his watch after setting Taylor down. He kissed them both on the cheek before going out the door. "Mommy, why does daddy always wear suits?" Taylor asked, putting the sandwiches into her schoolbag. "Because he likes to Suit Up." Robin said, kissing her forehead. "Now come on, Aunt Lily's waiting in the car with Marvin."

Robin smiled as she watched her daughter run out the door towards her best friend and her son. Sometimes she wished that Taylor was her flesh and blood, but nothing could take away the sensation of having a family.

"Are you ever going to tell us the story of how you met mom?"  
We're getting to that! Did I ever tell you the story of the Ducky Tie…?


End file.
